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DRUG INFORMATION

Accuracy of Abstracts for Original Research Articles in Pharmacy Journals

at time of writing, Drug Information Resident, Department of Pharmacy Practice, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Samford University, Birmingham, AL; now, Consultant Pharmacist, Tacachale Center of Excellence; Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

Michael G Kendrach, PharmD

Director, Drug Information Services; Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Samford University

Sherry O Price, RN PharmD

at time of writing, Drug Information Specialist; Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacy Practice, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Samford University; now, Staff Pharmacist, The Compounding Shoppe, Birmingham

Reprints: Michael G Kendrach PharmD, McWhorter School of Pharmacy, Samford University, 800 Lakeshore Dr., Birmingham, AL 35229-7027, fax 205/726-4012, mgkendra{at}samford.edu

BACKGROUND: Accuracy of abstracts representing original research articles is imperative since these are readily available and biomedical literature readers may not have access to the full-text article. Furthermore, previous reports document discrepancies in published original research abstracts compared with the full-text article.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the accuracy of abstracts for original research articles published in nationally represented, widely circulated pharmacy-specific journals (American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, The Annals of Pharmacotherapy, The Consultant Pharmacist, Hospital Pharmacy, Journal of the American Pharmacists Association, Pharmacotherapy: The Journal of Human Pharmacology and Drug Therapy) from June 2001 through May 2002.

METHODS: Outcome measures included an omission, defined as data in the abstract not located in the article. In addition, abstracts were considered deficient if these included an omission, inaccurate factual (ie, qualitative and quantitative) information presented in the abstract that differed from information contained within the text, an inconsistency in following the "Instructions for Authors" for the respective journal, or a discrepancy between the placement of text in the manuscript and a structured abstract.

RESULTS: A total of 243 abstracts for original research articles were published in selected journal issues. Evaluation of these abstracts identified 60 (24.7%) abstracts containing omissions; 81 (33.3%) abstracts contained either an omission or inaccuracy. A total of 147 (60.5%) abstracts were classified as deficient.

CONCLUSIONS: Results of this analysis demonstrate that improvements are needed within abstracts for original research articles published in pharmacy-specific journals. Authors and peer reviewers should analyze the abstract contents closely to ensure that the abstract accurately represents the full-text article.

Key Words: abstracting, indexing, publishing

Published Online, May 18, 2004. www.theannals.com, DOI 10.1345/aph.1D416

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